Jordan's Furniture Hosts Beanstalk Adoption Event for Children in Foster Care and Prospective Families

READING, Mass., March 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- There are over 850 children in Massachusetts who are waiting for adoption right now. To help children needing adoptive homes meet families that are ready to parent, Jordan's Furniture is hosting a special adoption party on Sunday, March 25, from 8:30 - 11:00 am, at Jordan's Furniture, 50 Walker's Brook Dr., Reading, MA. This event is by invitation only.

Jordan's Furniture hosts this event in collaboration with the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) and the Massachusetts Department of Children & Families (DCF) to help find permanent families for children in state foster care. Prospective adoptive parents who have been through the approval process will be able to meet Massachusetts' waiting children, and they will have an opportunity to meet with social workers in a casual atmosphere.

"We continually look for ways to encourage interaction between children and adults at our adoption events," says Eliot Tatelman, President and CEO of Jordan's Furniture. "After all, that is why this concept of adoption recruitment events work…people interacting with each other, getting to know one another, making new friends."  Tatelman continues, "Beanstalk, our indoor ropes course at our Reading store, is the perfect activity for both kids and adults to enjoy some quality time together. From previous adoption events, it has proven to be very successful in making matches and ultimately creating families! We are so proud to continue our support of the adoption and foster care communities through events such as this one because we see so many positive outcomes from our efforts," Tatelman concludes.

The private event is open to families currently involved in Massachusetts Approach to Partnerships in Parenting (MAPP) training or in the final stages of the homestudy process. Families will have the opportunity to speak with social workers and meet waiting children and sibling groups, in a fun and interactive environment. Anyone who is interested in registering for the event, learning more about adoption from foster care, applying to become an adoptive parent or the MAPP training process should visit www.mareinc.org or call (617) 542-MARE (6273).

"We are so pleased to be celebrating twenty years of partnership with Jordan's Furniture. During our time together we have placed over 400 children as a result of our combined recruitment efforts," said MARE's Executive Director Lisa Funaro. "Having the support of Jordan's means that families get the opportunity to meet children, social workers, other parents and our staff in a welcoming and inclusive environment."

MARE and Jordan's Furniture are pleased to be celebrating 20-years of collaboration.  What started as a simple recruitment project request from MARE to the nationally-known 6-store furniture retailer has grown to include several key stakeholders working together in order to make a significant difference in accelerating the path to permanency for waiting children.  The Massachusetts Department of Children and Families became principal collaborators, followed by a number of private agencies; all committed to adhering to the principle of collaboration, actively participating on a regional or statewide coalition, identifying specific, achievable goals and objectives and sharing resources among agencies. Together, these agencies formed an advisory board.

The Jordan's Initiative Advisory Board is committed to making a difference in the lives of children in foster care by ensuring that each child grow up in a loving family.  The Board is made up of representatives from Jordan's Furniture, including Eliot Tatelman, MARE, DCF and private agencies working together to promote "the best interest of the child" as the paramount consideration in all placement and permanency decisions.  The Board is committed to supporting the racial, ethnic and linguistic heritage of our children and their families.  The Board is committed to maintaining relationships among siblings and helping each child achieve their full potential and enter adulthood successfully. 

As a direct result of The Jordan's Initiative and successful partnership, over 400 children have been placed into adoptive homes through a variety of supported programs and initiatives. For more information about Jordan's Furniture and their charity engagement please visit www.jordans.com/about-us/charities.

In Massachusetts, 2,800 children currently in foster care have the goal of adoption, and more than 850 of those children have no relative or other potential adopter. Nationwide, there are over 110,000 children in foster care in need of adoption. Older, school-aged children, sibling groups, children of color and/or children with special needs tend to wait the longest for families.

Prospective adoptive parents can be almost any age (18+); single, partnered, married, LGBT; homeowners or renters; experienced parents or new to parenting. Families of various income levels can adopt, as long as they have a stable source of income to support a child. There are no fees to adopt a child from foster care. Financial subsidies may be available, and children adopted from foster care are eligible for a tuition-waiver at Massachusetts state colleges and universities.

MARE is a private, non-profit organization, founded in 1957 to find adoptive homes for children and teens in foster care, including sibling groups and children who are traditionally harder to place.

Jordan's Furniture, the premiere furniture and mattress retailer in New England, has one of highest grossing sales per square foot records in The United States. With indoor features like Beantown, Sunbrella IMAX 3D Theaters, a 4-level ropes course, indoor shows, an iconic holiday village display, and full-service restaurants, Jordan's Furniture is the leader in combining entertainment with shopping. Store locations are destinations, with the average time spent on-site over double the industry average. Customer Service at Jordan's is paramount. Jordan's 1400 employees, the "J-Team", excel at providing an unparalleled shopping experience. Established over 95-years ago and starting as a family business, Jordan's Furniture is a community leader in their markets and believes in giving back to the community through charitable partnerships. They currently have six store locations including Avon MA, Natick MA, Reading MA, Nashua NH, Warwick, RI and New Haven CT, along with a Distribution Center Taunton, MA.

For more information about Jordan's Furniture, please visit www.jordans.com.

SOURCE Jordan's Furniture

Related Links

http://www.jordans.com